The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-17
MORE HOPE FOR GETTING GAS
Movements Indicating that Mr.. Fetch
er's Company Will Do Something.
Three of the Stockholders Go East to Close
Contracts for Pipe-What the Council
Will Be Asked to Do.

The Indianapolis Natural gas Co mpany has
organizations upon which the hopes OF gettin e
fuel gas for this city depended. It's officers,
early as midsummer. said Indianapolis would
have gas before winter and on one occasion, when
asked about the matter, Allen Fletcher
marked that il would be ready for consumers
by October At that time he and his fellow
stockholders thought their prospecting in Ma
rion county would prove successful as that OF
the Standard or Guffey companies, in the No
blesville region. When the Harris well came in
they were sure of better results in the Fisher
Station well then being bored. b ut the drilling
mt Fisher Station, the Weaver farm, while
bringing out large quantity of gas,
was far from Satisfactory, IS far
as the immediate probabilities of
piping were concerned. However, MIR.
Fletcher. Mr.. Branham and Mr.. Root always
sured inqurers that while they had nothing
positive to their intentions to give out
the Indianapolis Natural-gas Company would
doubtless be ready to bring gas into the city
when certain matters were fully adjusted The
public supposed this referred to caring for their
individual business, which natural gas would
more less antagonize Perhaps this had
something to do with the delay, but the chief
difficulty that the Marion county wells did
not and would not until quite a number of the
same capacity had been bored. supply gas
enough for one half the city.
About the last of August or the first of Sep.
tember the Indianapolis company, through
those who controlled its affairs, said to any one
who took enough interest to ask them as to
probabilities that if Indianapolis got gas. it
must from Noblesville. The company
had leases there aud was doing its best to get
more, but only with Indifferent success '"The
trouble is" said Mr.. Root, "that the land
owners want more than their farms worth.
Some will not listen to proposition to lease
any terms. We have not enough gas in this
county. but perhaps will be able to get it in
the three wells that are being drilled" Shortly
after this came the report, afterwards
verified. that the company had proposed to
the Gufey syndicate to take it's
NobesviIle leases which almost as extensive
as the Standard Oil interests of that kind in the
same locality. The negotiations went without
any perceptible change until by the Doxey
scheme it proposed to solve the fuel-eas
question before February. 1t when Mr..
Doxey appeared that an officer of the Indian
apois company asked: .How is your pro-
posed deal with the Guffsy people proeressne?"
There is only q slight difference between u.s."
was the reply. 1T will soon be closed" But it
was not, for the companys officer said that sew
eral weeks ago. However, the continued pres
ence in this city of Mr.. Patch, the representa-
tive of the Guffey syndicate, was a reminder of
do in the end. poxey interfered. perhaps, but
now that he 10 out of the way the Indianapolis
company seems TO be in position to act, and to
act promptly.
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Fletcher and Mr.
Brsnham went to Pittsburg to close contracts
for pine and the negotiations for the Mobiles
Vile wells. and leases OF the Guffev syndicate.
But the closing MP OF this business" said a
gentleman conversant with the policy of the
company. depends upon what the Council will
do in amending the ordinance
so amendments to the ordinance are to be
asked forf asked.
Yes. and the matter is to come up in called
meeting of the Council this week. The amend
ments are similar to those offered by Doxey, ex-
cept that slight increase in the schedule prices
will be proposed. If these amendments are
made the Indianapolis company will begin to
lay it's pipes from Noblesville Monday next. It
Is expected to lay one half mile of pipe daily.
The company already has fifteen miles of pipe
in the city, part of which is eight-inch main,
the full length of Washington street. while the
pipe in the other streets is six inch. In addition
TO this system, fifteen miles of additional pipe
will be laid in the city giving thirty miles alto
gether. into which it is proposed TO conduct gas
from the Noblesville main by the first of Janu-
nry"
It is stated that to the matter of asking for
an advance of the ordinance prices the company
does not wish to interfere with the rates therein
for manufacturers 1.-THE company recognizes
said a gentleman near to its officers, "that the
greatest benefit to the city through natural gas
will be in the increase of manufactures it will
cause. With them the contract arrangement
will prevail, but as to other consumers the Coun-
Gil will be asked to split the difference between
the rates as they are now fixed and those the
Standard Oil Company proposed. The Indian
apos company will ask for no greater advance
than to figure 25 per cent less than the
Standard Oil Company's prices"
The indianapolis company. it is said, will not
ask the Council to take any risk in making the
amendments 1t will give a bond of $500, 600 as
a guarantee that it will bring gas into the city
By Jan. i. If their requests in this respect are
met Several firms of line-men and house piping
men will be here on the 1st of November. These
people. with the addition of the local force of
plumbers. will, il is thought, be sufficient to
prepare 5000 houses for the gas by the time it |
gets here, the LIST of January. There is only
one thing to defeat this, said gentleman, last
night, land that is for the Council to make a |
fool of itself in hesitating TO pass the amend |
meuts that will be proposed"
As TO the supply. the Indianapolis company |
with those of the Guffey syndicate, will have
large. and one of than. the Wheeler. is consid-
cred to be the largest in the State. Into the
mains the gas from the Marion county wells will |
be thrown. SO that the city will get daily about
70. 900, 900 feet In addition to these wells others
are to be drilled on the 0uffey leased lads, and
by the beginning of the year the company
poets to have twenty wells to draw from. The
work proposed will require it is said, ], 900 men,